The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-02-04
Ladies Department.
Hints on Notwithstanding.

sell namely. Ordinary drPSSmaklng,
is so simple an art that most any la,
DIV, if she will may become mistress
Of it. Let her apply herself with
the same earnestness and ambition,
devoting as much time as she would
learning to do beautiful fancy work
and the result will be quite as mar
velous, | am sure, and who shall say
not as beneficial?
Not that I would disparage fancy
work, by no means | think nothing
goes farther toward identifying a
home. | am speaking of those who
think they cannot do the dressmak
ing when they have plenty of talent
for other kinds of work. Many la
dies would be very glad to do this
work for themselves for any number
of reasons, not the least Of which is
the pecuniary And who of us do
not look at things from that stand
point? 1t will be readily seen that
lady who is able to make even the
common clothes for herself and fam
lily can save quite a little sum in the
course Of a year,
The first requisite is to be able to
cut and fit nicely. No matter how
nice the goods or how elaborate the
make ''bad fit" will ruin the effect.
I would advise. therefore that some
good system of cutting be learned.
When this is thoroughly mastered
half the battle is won If this can
not be accomplished, obtain good
pattern from a dressmaker, or But
terick's patterns will do nicely.
AS to style of make, etc, one must
need study their own form, If a
lady is short and inclined to be fleshy
she will AVOID such styles as the full
skirt and "baby'' waists, whereas a
tall slender lady will find them quite
becoming.
For every day dresses nothing is
prettier than rather full skirt, fitted
in front and over the hips by darts,
with most of the fullness in the back.
A ruffie or plating for the bottom
adds much. An easy fitting basque
with box plaits in the back, plain
coat sleeve and turn over collar.
This is becoming to almost any
form.
Another pretty home dress. Make
the skirt the same as above, to but
ton at the belt on to a round waist
with tucks up and down the front
and back. with sleeves and collar as
above. The tucks should be made
before cutting. An overskrt made
with two straight breadths with side
and bottom hemmed and gathered at
the top for the back. the front being
a small apron fitted oy darts and
brought high on the hips to be fast
ened under the back. This should
be sewed to a separate belt and fast
ened with hooks and eyes on one
side
It might be we'll to say right here
that the fit of dress depends very
much upon the underclothing. One
cannot expect a waist to fit smooth
ly over two or three yards of ruffled
and starched Hamburg edging Moth
ing is better or more comfortable in
many ways than good fitting gauze
or wool undervest, with a plain cor
set cover fitted with as much care as
the waist.
In using ordinary drilling for
waist Innings, l find it much better
to cut it cross wise the cloth. In
that way it will not stretch, and
ones waist be two or three inches
too large after few times wearing.
double the lining and firmly pin the
pattern to it. then run the tracing
wheel around on the seem line, being
careful to trace also the waist line
After cutting exactly like the pat.
tern. haste all the lining on to the
dress goods before cutting any, thus
being able by little planning to
get the basque out Of less cloth. In
basting the seams great care should
be used to follow the marks of the
tracing wheel. Always begin at the
waist line and haste both ways I
find that haste in basting is great
waste of time and patience, too per
haps. AS the sleeve is made to fit
so closely, it is better to line them
the same as the basque
In cutting the skirt allow the one
inch for making, remembering they